Manifolding device



4 Sheets-$11991l 1 Filed May 5, 1939 N ln . .June'17, 1941. w. c.PFElr-'r-ER MANIFOLDING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1939 wieJune 17, 1941. w. c. PFEIFFER' MANIFOLDING DEVICE Filed May 5, 1939JWM/401 WILLIAM C. PFEIFFER.

`lune 17, 1941. w. c. PFEIFFER MANIFOLDING DEVICE Filed May', 1959 4Sheets-Sheet 4 WILLIAM L. Pfr/mw,

' printed.

Patented .June 11, '1941 v 2,245,818 momma nsvrcs William C. Pfeier,Dayton, Ohio, signor to The Em Register ration of Ohio Company, Dayton,Ohio, a corpo- Appuaon May s, ma, serai no. 271,979

` 1s calmi. (ci. :i1- 2.1)

This invention relates to a manifolding'machine and more particularly tosuch a manifolding machine which is adapted to be used as an attachmentto a printing or typing machine in order to produce a multiple number of.copies oi' the material being printed or typed. Still moreparticularly, the invention relates to a manifolding attachment which isprovided with means for feeding the duplicate sheets embodying pinswhich are adapted to engage with elongated slots in an untyped orunprinted portion of the sheets, and to such a device wherein thefeeding means is laterally adjustable with respect to the sheets so thatthe feeding slots in the sheets may be located at any'desired lateralposition on the sheets and so that the feeding pins may be adjusted tocorrespond with the location of the feeding slots in the particularsheets being In my copending application, Serial No. 259,395, led March2, i939, I have disclosed a manifolding device which is of the samegeneral type as the manifolding device of this invention and wherein thesheets are provided with spaced elongated apertures near or on thecenter line thereof, the feeding pins being disposed in a xed positionin the center of the machine. This arrangement is in practice found tobe disadvantageous since the rnacliine'is not versatile to take care ofdifferent requirements but is useable only with sheets which areapertured at their center. It is desirable to provide these sheets withapertures at any location laterally thereof. For example, it isfrequently inconvenient to have the apertures in the center of the sheetbecause it is desired to print in the center. In many cases, it isdesirable to have the feeding apertures located in a non-used section ofthe sheet and this nonused section is very often located at aconsiderabledistance from the center of the sheet. In other cases, it isdesirable to have the apertures in line with a line on the sheet sinceit would not be customary or desirable to print on such aline. This linemore frequently than not falls at 4a. substantial distance from thecenter of the sheet and, therefore, the device of my co-pendingapplication referred to above is not applicable when the apertures areso located. It will be understood that when using feeding aperturesinthe body of the sheet that these apertures are located in such positionthat they pass by an unused portion of the printing and typing machinewith which the manifolding device is employed.

In order to allow the location of the feeding apertures at substantiallyany position laterally of the sheet, the present invention provides forlateral adjustment of the feeding pins with respect to the vmanifoldingdevice.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide amanifolding device adapted to be attached to a printing or typingmachine, and provided with means for feeding a plurality of paper webspast the printing or typing position, this feeding means being laterallyadjustable with respect to the machine.

Another object is to provide a manifolding device of the foregoing typewherein the feeding means engages a single row of spaced apertures.

Another object is to provide a manifolding device of the foregoing typewherein the feeding pins engage apertures disposed at any lateralposition in the body of the sheets. said apertures being located in thegenerally central portion of the sheets.

Still another obiect is to provide a device of the foregoing typewherein the feeding means is alignedwith any-non-used portion of thetyping or Aprinting machine. For example, typing or printing machinesare commonly provided with spaced type bar guides between winch the typebars engage the original sheet. These type bar guides are of substantialwidth and in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the feeding apertures in the sheets are vin alignment withone of these type bar guides, the feeding means being vsimilarlyaligned. In this embodiment, the feeding means is laterally adjustableto a plurality of positions, each of which coincides with these type barguides so that the apertures may be located in the sheets atpracticallyany desired lateral position.

Stili another object is to provide a device of the foregoing typelwherein the chain carrying the' feeding pins is .provided with means forkeeping it taut which means moves laterally with the feeding device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of the manifolding device ofthis invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l.looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures 3 and 4 are plan views of sheet forms which may be fed by themachine of the present invention. x

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line l-l of Figure 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an elevation taken on the line -I of Figure 5, looking inthe direction of the ar- NWS.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 'i'| of Figure 8,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a perspective showing the driving connection between theplaten gear tand the feeding drive shaft.

General arrangement In general,v the manifolding device of this inl feeda plurality of paper webs, each web usually consisting of a series otprinted paper forms separated from one another by weakenin lines orperforations. The manifolding device of thel present invention employsduplicatingV ribbons,

such as carbon paper ribbons, interleaved between the paper webs andcrossing the 1189er web transversely at the printing position. Mechanismfor feeding the paper webs and carbon ribbons is synchronized with theoperation of the main printing machine so that it operates incooperation with the line spacing or ejection spacing movement of theplaten of the main machine. and may be driven from this platen.

In the manifolding device of the present invention, the paper webs areadvanced by a feeding mechanism. .which comprises a series of verticallydisposed spaced fingers which engage' correspondingly shaped aperturesdisposed longitudinally of the sheets. The paper webs are provided withelongatedv apertures, preferably rectangular,

which are engaged by the feeding pins mounted.

at intervals along a single sprocket chain. The present machine alsoprovides a contact structure whichv presses against the paper webs andmaintains them in engagement with the feeding plus near the path of thewebs where the feeding apertures are located. This contact structure maybe moved away from the webs so as to facilitate the threading of thewebs through the device. f

The feeding pins and chain', the contact structure, and the strippingdrums are all mounted on a laterally adjustable carriage which isprovided with stops causing the feeding pins to be in alignment with thegaps in the printing mech.. anism occasioned by the type bar guides.'Ihus the mechanism is capable of lateral adjustment so that the feedingholes may be located atany lateral position on the sheets beingprinted.`

In my co-pending application above identined, the feeding pins aredisposed so as to engage the center path of the webs and are notadjustable. The present invention provides means for ad- !usting thefeeding pins laterally, therebyovercoming the disadvantages of themachine described in said application occasioned by the nonadiustabilityof the feeding pins.

Main printing machine construction The main printing machine to whichthe manifolding device of the present invention is attached forms nopart of the present invention, and may be a tabulating machine, anadding machine, a typewriter, or any other suitable machine capable ofprinting a record. In the accompanying drawings, a manifolding device ofthis invention is shown as used in conjunction with a tabulating andlisting machine. The mechanism thereof is beyond the scope of the.present disclosure except as its parts cooperate with the mechanism ofa manlfolding device, such as the paper feeding mechanism. Referring tothe drawings in detail, the main printing machine il has type bar guidesIl engaging type bars (not shown) actuated by mechanism within themachine for printing records upon paper vwebs i2 by means of a fabricinking ribbon which prints the original. 'I'he machine II is providedwith a rotatable platen Il, on which is mounted a platen gear i4 carriedon the platen shaft i5. The platen gear ,Il Ls driven by gearing (notshown) contained within the main printing machinel Il and forming nopart of the present invention. By reason of this gearing, the platen ilis rotated at suitable times after a row of type has been printed so asto bring about a line spacing operation, or after a plurality of rows oftype have been printed and a paper form completely filled out, bringingabout an ejection spacing operation.

- It will be understood that in the present invention the gripping rollsordinarily provided ben eath the platen I3 for holding the paperfirmlypin engagement with the platen are released so that the paper websslide loosely around the platen I3 and are not affected by'its rotation.Instead a feeding of the paper webs is accompllshed entirely bymechanism within the manifolding device itself. as will hereinafterappear.

The manifolding device of the present invention is mounted upon thetabulating machine il, the frame of which is provided with cross rods l1and Il and with pivot bolts Il, upon which rest side members 20 of themanifolding device,v

the manlfolding device being pivotally rotatable about pivot bolts Il.

TheL-ahaped side members 2l are so disposed that portion 2| proiectsrearwardly and surrounds pivot bolts Il while portion 22 is verticallydisposed and carries. the apparatus of the present invention.

The several webs l2 are fed around platen il, at which point' there isinterleaved between them carbon paper ribbons 2l. When the type bars aremanipulated into engagement with platen I3, they operate to form anoriginal copy by means yof the usual fabric ribbon (not shown) usedoutwardly of the web assembly, and make the carbon copies by reason ofthese interleaved paper ribbons 23.4 It will .be understood that insteadof using paper ribbons which are employed only a single time and arethen discarded, the usual cloth ribbons employed a number of times maybe utilized. These ribbons 2l are fed transversely between the paperwebs l! at the printing position. The details. of the mechanism by whichthey are fed past the printing position form no part of the presentinvention and a complete disclosure thereof may be found in mycopending. application Serial No. 258,014 nled February 23, 1,939. Forpurposes of the present disclosure, it will suilice to state that theribbons 23 are fed in syncbronism with the linefeeding andejecting-feeding mechanism of the main printing machine in such mannerthat the ribbons are fed a predetermined amount for a line spacingoperation and a greater amount for an ejection spacing operation.

The side members 25 are maintained in the proper stationary position byrods 24, 25, and 26 which are held in engagement with members 22 byscrews 21 passing through members 22 .cation Serial No. 258,014above-identified.

Likewise disposed laterally of the machine between supports 22 is arotatable shaft 52 which drives the paper feeding mechanism of thisinvention in synchronism with the spacing operations accomplished byplaten gear I4.

Shaft 32 is driven by gearing designated generally as 55 (see Figure 9)connecting it with platen gear I4 so that the paper webs I2 will be fedin accordance with the spacing provided by printing machine I5,

Slidably mounted on feeding drive shaft 52 is a feeding sprocket 54which cooperates with sprocket 35 disposed vertically thereabove tosupport the i'eed sprocket chain 35 which passes therearound. Feedsprocket 54 is mounted upon a steel bushing 51 which is slidably keyedon shaft 52 by feather key 35 which is attached to the hub of sprocket54 and is slidable with respect to keyway 55 in shaft 52. If desired,instead of keying, suitable spiining may be employed to cause sprocket54 to be driven by shaft 32. Alternatively, two or more feather keys maybe provided to reduce the axial force required to move the sprocketalong shaft 52. Bronze bushings 55a at either side of sprocket 34slidingly engage the surface of shaft 52. These bushings are carried inside frame members 45 which are parallelly disposed vertically. Framemembers 45 surround each oi' shafts 24, 25, 25, 25 and 52. Bronzebushings 4I are provided in side members 45 for sliding engagement withshaft 25. within side members 40 for sliding engagement with rod 25.Bronze sleeve 45 is similarly provided for sliding engagement with rod25. Bronze sleeve 44 is provided for sliding engagement with rod 24.

Fixedly surrounding rods 25 and 25 are additional braces 45 which attheir lower ends surround rotatable shaft 25. These members 45 lendadditional support' to the machine and to shaft 25.

At the top of vertical members 45, there is I disposed in the slotsformed by ears 51 a fixed lateral tie rod 45, which passesthroughsprocket 35 and upon which are rotatably mounted drums "which guide theupfed webs i2 around to tho rear of the machine and strip them fromsprocket chain 35. Rod 45 is fixedly held in end frame members 45 vbyscrews 11 and 11a. End

members 45 are integral with the inclined arms of yoke member 40 locatedlust in the rear of sprocket chain 55 (see Figures 1 and 2). Yoke 49 isconnected to dat ears 55 which are integral with opstanding side members45.

Shaft 33a is driven'by a motor` Bronze sleeve 42 is provided side framemembers 45, the sprockets 54 and 55 and drums 41 with their associatedsupporting mechanism are all laterally slidable with respect to themachine.

In order to locate this slidable carriage and feeding device in a xedposition, rod 25 is provided With a series of circumferential parallelslots 5I which are located with respect to type bar guides II so thatsprocket chain 35 will a1- ways be in alignment with and opposite a typebar guide II. U-shaped locking members 52 are provided which aredisposed inthe appropriate slots 5I at the ends of bronze sleeve 43 (seeFi8-` ure 7) and when it is desired to position the\ feeding device,locking members 52 are manually removed, the feeding carriage is slidmanually to the right or to the left, as desired, to the appropriateposition whereupon locking members 52 are replaced in slots 5I. Thus,the operator is enabled to locate the feeding carriage proper' ly withrespect to the webs I2 being acted upon by the printing machine I0.

Sprocket 55 is provided with an internal bronze bushing 53 which ismounted in a U-shaped member 54. A spring 55 presses against a iowerportion 55 of this U-shaped member 54 and against the .top of bronzesleeve 44, thereby maintaining sprocket chain 55 always taut, sinceclearance is provided in bushing 55 around fixed tie rOd 45.

In order to hold vertical feeder frame members 45 in fixed relation withrespect to one another, lateral bolts 55 and spacers 59 are provided.U.shaped member 54 is provided with downwardly extending leg members 55which surround sleeve 44 and with side members 4'5 form an enclosure forspring 55 and are adapted to slide up and. down with respect to sleeve44.

Sprocket chain 35 is provided with fingers 5I which are spaced atappropriate intervals to cooperate with the vertically disposed feedingslots 52 cut in webs I2. These fingers 5I comprise a horizontal portion53 and an angular portion 54. The point 55 formed by these sides 55 and54 is adapted to enter the rectangular apertures 52 of the webs I2 andto thereby feed the web upwardly. In Figure 2, two of these fingers 5Iare shown in engagement with webs I2.

Disposed roughly parallel to the webs I2 and forwardly of the sprocketchain 35, there is provided a paper bailgenerally designated 55 forholding the sheets I2 in engagement with the feeding lingers 5I. Thisbail 55 comprises a horizontal portion 55 which depends from endsupports 45 by means of integral members 51.

' Fixedly attached to members 55 are vertical bail members 55 whichcomprise a straight portion 55 and an anouate portion 15 which issubstantially concentric with drums 41. Flxedly attached to the lowerportions of members 55 is another horizontal bail member 1I.

The bail assembly just described is rotatable vertically about shaft 45in order to allow for threading of the paper webs I2 around sprocketchain 55 and stripping drums 41.. This is accomplished by having thebail assemblyv pivotally supported from rod 45 -by arms 51. Fixedlyattached to one end of bail member 55 is an auxiliary member 12 which isgenerally circular in configuration and which pivotally engages rod 45.This member 12 is provided with peripheral notches 1 2 and 14. A detent15 is urged into engagement with notches 'I5 and 14 by a springv 15which is attached to rod 45 by screw 11a and As a result of theforegoing construction, the 7 5 has its other end encircling detent 15.Detent 1l is mounted on a pivoted arm 1l which is piv-'I fixed stud 1lbmounted on pivoted arm 18 and 1 engages an outwardly turned ear lic oncircular member 12, thereby providing an adjustable stop to limit thedownward movement of bail II towards the sheets i2. This screw a isnormally so adjusted that detent 15 engages the upper portion of notch14. l

As will be undestood as webs I! are fed upwardly by fingers Il arounddrums 41, they are stripped from the feeding fingers 8l by drums 41 andthence pass into a tray or other receptacle provided at the properposition at the rear of the machine.

The mode of operation of the machine will be obvious from the foregoingdescription. For the sake of completeness, however, it is pointed outthat bail assembly 80 will rst be swung up out of operative positioninto the threading position and the webs i2 will be threaded inensagement with feeding-pins Il and drums 41 whereupon bail assembly Ilwill be lowered to the operative position and the machine is ready foroperation. Ready adjustment of the feeding carriage laterally of themachine is obtained by means of locking members l2 and slots Il. Aspreviously explained, slots Il are disposed apart from each other at thesame distances as the type bar guides Il so that the apertures 8! in thesheets i2 may be located at a point where normally no printing wouldoccur.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the versatility of the machine of the presentinvention. In Figure 3. there is portrayed a sheet I2 which has therectangular slots B2 disposed well from the center thereof and inalignment with a vertical line of the sheet. 'Ihis location of the holesl2 interferes with the utility of the blank l! to the least possibleextent. In Figure 4 there is shown a web l2 wherein the perforations i!are disposed well on the other sideof the center of the web. In .thisinstance, perforations 62 are located in a narrow column especiallyprovided for thev purpose.

It will be understood that the lateral adjustment of the feeding deviceof the present invention makes possible the location of the feedingapertures 82 in practically any position desired and thus greatlyincreases the versatility of the manifolding machine. In this way. thelocation of the feeding apertures may be varied to suit the particularblanks at hand. These advantages are obtained without sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the machines set forth in my copend-ing applicationsidentified herein.

It is to be understood that I intend to comprehend as within myinvention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varyingconditions and uses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a manifolding machine adapted to be employed in association with arecord printing` machine, means for lfeeding a plurali-ty ofsuperimposed sheets comprising a feeding finger adapted to engage acooperating apex-.ture in the sheets being fed and to move said sheetstherewith, said feeding means being adjustable laterally with respect tosaid sheets in a plurality of predetermined laterally spaced positionsof lateral adjustment, spacer means determining said predeterminedpositions, and meanscooperating with said spacer means for locking saidfeeding means in any of said positions of adjustment.

2. In a manifolding machine adapted to be employed in association with arecord printing machine, means for feeding a plurality of superimposedsheets comprising a feeding finger adapted to engage a cooperatingaperture in the sheets being fed and to move said sheets therewith, andmeans adapted to allow adjustment of the lateral position or saidfeeding means with respect to said sheets comprising laterallystationary means having a plurality of locking means formed thereon andlaterally spaced thereon and upon which said feeding means is laterallyslidabie, and means selectively engageable with and disengageable fromsaid locking means for locking said feeding means to or unlocking itfrom any one of said locking means.

3. In a manifolding machine adapted to be employed in association with arecord printing machine having laterally spaced type bar guides, meansfor feeding a plurality of superimposed sheets comprising a feedingfinger adapted to engage a cooperating aperture in the sheets being fedand to move said sheets therewith, said feeding finger being laterallyadjustable witnrespect to said sheets and being lockable in a pluralityof predetermined laterally spaced positions of lateral adjustment, andmeans allowing locking of said feeding finger laterally only when saidfeeding finger is in alignment with said type bar guides.

4. In a manifolding machine adapted to be employed in association with arecord printing machine having laterally spaced type bar guides,

means for feeding a plurality of superimposed sheets comprising afeeding finger adapted to engage a cooperating aperture in the sheetsbeing fed and to move said sheets therewith. and having means forallowing adjustment of the lateral position of said feeding means withrespect to said sheets comprising a stationary rod non-rotatably fixedin the frame of the mani- -folding machine and having a plurality ofindependent annular locking recesses laterally spaced thereon in suchposition with respect to said type .bar guides that when said feedingmeans is locked to one of said recesses said feeding finger is inalignment with one of said type bar guides,

said feeding means being laterally slidable onV said rod and havingmeans for locking said feeding means to any one of said lockingrecesses.

5. In a manifolding machine, a supporting frame, means supported therebyfor feeding a plurality of superimposed sheets and comprising a feedingfinger adapted to engage a cooperating aperture in a plurality ofsuperimposed sheets being fed, means laterally stationary with respectto said frame and with respect to which said feeding means is laterallyslidable, a plurality of laterally spaced means on said stationarymeans, and means adapted selectively to engage and disengage said spacedmeans for locking said feeding means to or unlocking it from any one ofsaid laterally spaced means.

6. In a manifolding machine, a supporting frame, means supported therebyfor feeding a plurality of superimposed sheets and comprising a feedingfinger adapted to engage a cooperating aperture in a plurality ofsuperimposed sheets being fed, stationary means non-rotatably fixed tosaid frame and with respect to which said feeding means is laterallyslidable, atplurality of independent laterally spaced` projections onsaid stationary means, a sleeve xedly secured to said feeding means andsurrounding said stationary means, and means associated with said sleeveengaging said projections for preventing any lateral adjustment of saidsleeve and thereby said feeding means.

7. In a manifolding machine, a supporting frame, means supported therebyfor feeding a plurality of superimposed sheets and comprising a fingeradapted to engage a cooperating aper ture in a plurality of superimposedsheets being fed, means stationary with respect to said frame and withrespect to which said feeding means is laterally slidable, a pluralityof laterally spaced projections on said stationary means, a

sleeve fixedly secured to said feeding means and surrounding saidstationary means, and a U- shaped locking -member at each end of saidsleeve engaging said projections and locking said sleeve to saidstationary means at the desired spaced position of lateral adjustment.

8. In a manifolding machine adapted to be employed in association with arecord printing machine having a plurality of laterally disposed andspaced type bar guides, means for feeding a plurality of superimposedsheets comprising a feeding nger adapted to engage a cooperatingaperture in a plurality of superimposed sheets being fed, means adaptedto allow adjustment of said feeding means laterally, laterallystationary means, a plurality of laterally spaced locking means thereonso disposed laterally that when said feeding means is locked thereto,said feeding finger will Abe in alignment with one of said type barguides, and means allowing locking of said feeding means to any of saidlocking means only with said feeding finger in alignment with one ofsaid type bar guides.

9. In a manifolding machine adapted to be employed in association witharecord printing machine having a plurality of laterally disposed andspaced type bar guides, means for feeding a plurality of superimposedsheets comprising a feeding nger adapted to engage a cooperatingaperture in a plurality of superimposed sheets being fed, laterallyextending non-rotatable means with respect to which said feeding meansis laterally slidable, a plurality of projections on said non-rotatablemeans spaced laterally at the same distance apart as said type barguides and stationary means and fixedly secured to' said feeding means,and a locking member at each end of said sleeve engaging one of saidprojections for so locking said feeding means.

11. In a manifolding machine, a supporting frame having side framemembers and lateral so laterally disposed thatwhen said feeding.-

means is locked relative thereto said feeding finger will be inalignment with one ofsaid type bar guides, and means for so locking saidfeeding means to said' projections and for thereby locking said feedingnger in alignment with one of said type bar guides.

10. In a manifolding machine adapted to be employed in association witha record printing machine having a plurality of laterally disposed andspaced type bar guides, means for feeding a plurality of superimposedsheets comprising a feeding finger adapted to engage a cooperatingaperture in a plurality of superimposed sheets 'being fed, laterallyextending stationary means non-rotatably fixed to the frame of themanifolding machine and with respect to which means disposedtherebetween, a. carriage laterally slidably adjustably mounted on saidlateral means, means -for locking said carriage in any one ofa pluralityof predetermined laterally spaced positions of lateral adjustment,feeding means adjusts-bly mounted on said carriage comprising twosprockets one of which is a drive sprocket and the other of whichV is adriven sprocket and a feeding chain carried thereby having extendingspaced fingers and adapted to present said kfingers in engagement withcooperating longitudinally spaced apertures in a plurality ofsuperimposed sheets being fed thereby, and yielding means interposed.between said carriage and said driven sprocket for continuously urgingsaid `proclret away from said driving sprocket and thereby maintainingsaid chain taut, said yielding means being mounted on said carriage andslidable therewith.

12. In la manifolding machine, a supporting frame having sideframemembers and lateral means disposed therebetween, a carriage laterallyslidably adjustably Amounted on'said latsprockets, one of which is adrivesprocket and.

the other of which is a driven sprocket and a feeding chain carriedthereby having extending spaced fingersvand adapted to .present saidiingers in engagement with cooperating longitudinally spaced aperturesin a vplurality of superimposed sheets being fed thereby, and a fixedrod passing through said driven sprocket and carrying freely rotatabledrums of larger diameter than said sprocket which are adapted to guidesaid sheets and strip them from said feeding lingers, said rod anddrumsfbeing mounted on said carriage and slidable therewith.

13; In a manifolding machine, a supporting frame having'side .framemembers and lateral means disposed therebetween, a carriage laterallyslidably adjustably mounted on said lateral means, means for lockingsaid carriage in any one of a plurality of predetermined laterallyspaced positions of lateral adjustment, feeding means mounted on saidcarriage comprising two sprockets, one of which is` a drive sprocket andthe other of which is a driven` sprocket and a feeding chain carriedthereby having extending spaced fingers/and adapted to present saidfingers in engagement with cooperating longitudinally spaced aperturesin a .plurality of supersprocket being yieldingly mounted with respectto said driving sprocket.

14. In a manifolding machine, a supporting frame having side framemembers and lateral means disposed therebetween, a carriage laterallyslidably adjustably mounted on said lateral means, means for lockingsaid carriage in any one of a plurality of predetermined laterallyspaced positions of lateral adjustment, feeding means mounted on saidcarriage comprising two sprockets, one of which is a drive sprocket andthe other of which is a driven sprocket and a feeding chain carriedthereby having extending spaced fingers and adapted to present saidfingers in engagement-with cooperating longitudinally spaced aperturesin a plurality of superimposed sheets being fed thereby, a fixed rodpassing through said driven sprocket and carrying freely rotatable drumsof larger diameter than said sprocket which are adapted to guide saidsheets and strip them from said feeding fingers, said rod and drumsbeing mounted on said carriage and slidable therewith, and yieldingmeans interposed between said carriage and said driven sprocket andslidable with said carriage for pushing chain having spaced feedingfingers adapted to engage cooperating longitudinally spaced apertures ina plurality of superimposed sheets being fed thereby, a fixed rodmounted on said carriage and carrying freely rotatable drums adapted toguide said sheets and strip them from said lingers, bail means pivotallysupported about said rod for holding said sheets in engagement with saidiingers, and means for locking said bail means in a position in which itholds said sheets in engagement with said iingers.

l18. In a manifolding machine, a supporting frame` comprising side framemembers and lateral means therebetween, a carriage laterally adjustablyslidable on said lateral means, means -for locking said carriage in anyone of a plurality .of predetermined laterally spaced positions oflateral adjustment, feeding means mounted on said carriage andcomprising a feeding chain having spaced feeding fingers adapted ltoengage cooperating longitudinally spaced apertures in a plurality ofsuperimposed sheets being fed thereby, a fixed rod mounted on saidcarriageA and carrying freely rotatable drums adapted to guide saidsheets and strip them from said iingers, bail means pivotally supportedabout said rod for holding said sheets in engagement with said fingers,means for locking said bail means either in a position in which it holdssaid sheets in engagement with said fingers or in a position where itenables threading of said sheets along said fingers and around saiddrums.

WILLIAM C. PFEIFFER.

